It and There in English (B2–C1)

It and There in English (B2–C1): Small Words, Big Meaning

At first glance, it and there seem harmless. Short. Simple. Almost invisible.

And yet, these two words quietly control clarity, focus, and natural sentence flow — especially in advanced English. Misuse them, and your sentence feels awkward. Use them well, and your English suddenly sounds calm, fluent, and native-like.

Let’s take a closer look.

The Empty (or “Dummy”) It

In many sentences, it does not refer to anything specific. Instead, it prepares the listener for what comes next.

This structure is extremely common in spoken English, academic writing, and exams.

Common pattern

It + be + adjective + to / that clause

It is important to revise regularly.
It was surprising that he agreed.
It’s difficult to stay focused under pressure.

Why do we use it here?

Because English prefers balance. Starting a sentence with a long clause sounds heavy:

❌ To revise regularly is important.

✅ It is important to revise regularly.

This structure is a hallmark of B2–C1 writing.

It for Time, Weather, Distance, and Conditions

English often uses it to talk about general situations.

It’s raining again.
It was cold yesterday.
It’s late.
It’s a long way from here.

There is no real subject — it simply fills the grammatical space. Native speakers rely on this constantly.

There to Introduce New Information

While it often refers to known or general ideas, there introduces new information.

The key structure

There + be

There is a problem we need to discuss.
There are several reasons for this decision.
There has been a mistake.

Notice something important:

The real subject comes after the verb.

This structure helps English sound natural and organised — especially when introducing ideas in essays and reports.

Choosing Between It and There

This is where many learners hesitate.

A helpful rule:

Use there to say something exists
Use it to comment on a situation

Compare:

There is a delay. → existence
It is frustrating. → opinion

Often, the two work together beautifully:

There is a delay, and it is frustrating.

That kind of sentence control is exactly what examiners love.

It in Emphasis: Cleft Sentences (C1 Upgrade)

At higher levels, it helps you highlight information.

Structure

It is / was + emphasised part + that / who

It was John who solved the problem.
It is practice that makes the difference.

This is powerful for arguments, contrasts and formal writing. Use it sparingly — but confidently.

Common Learner Mistakes

❌ Is raining today.

✅ It’s raining today.

❌ Is a problem with the plan.

✅ There is a problem with the plan.

❌ There is difficult to understand this rule.

✅ It is difficult to understand this rule.

These errors are small, but very noticeable at B2–C1.

It and there are not “empty” words. They are structural tools. If you master them, your English becomes smoother, clearer, more balanced and more confident. And sometimes, the smallest words make the biggest difference.

It and There in English (B2–C1)

Published by My Lingua Academy on 15 Feb 202615 Feb 2026